Device for use in packing cans and the like



March 16, 1943. w. .1. DE REAMER DEVICE FOR USE IN PACKING CANS AND THE LIKE Filed May l, 1941 ,uhrlllvllllllllllllllnllll ill/2 Patented Mar. 1s, 1943 DEVICE FOR USE IN PACKING CANS AND THE LIKE William J. De Beamer, Crown Point, Ind., assignor to Mapes Consolidated Manufacturingl Company, Grifth, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application May 1, 1941, Serial No. 391,265

6l Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for use in packing cans and the like in a container and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the conventional packing of canned foods or other products in containers for shipment or storage, the filled cans are placed end down upon the bottom wall of the container from its open top end. When the container is filled with cans, some of them engage snugly against the side and the end walls of the container. The number of cans packed in a container, as well as the -number of tiers, and the number of cans lin each tier, is of course dependent upon the size of the cans and the size of the container it is desired to use. After the container has been filled, the open top of the container is closed by means of a suitable cover or lid.

In conventional cans used for packing food products, each presents an outwardly extending annular shoulder at each end, which result from the seams, by which the ends of the can are flanged to the body. Due to the relatively snug fit the cans have in the container, the shoulder on one can often hooks or catches on the flange on the adjacent can when placing the cans in the container. This makes it difficult for the operator properly to position the cans in a packing operation, and increases not only the amount of time required therefor but also packing costs.

One of the objects of the inventionis to provide devices for use in the top and bottom of a container which makes the packing of thecontainer an easy and faster operation and at the same time prevents adjacent cans from movingv laterally into engagement with one another, to dent a can or to destroy its label, either of which detracts from the appearance of the cans when displayed for sale.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind having certain flat areas for engagement by the ends of the cans being packed and other areas between the first mentioned areas which guide the can ends to their associated areas as the cans are placed in the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which may be molded from pulp material with the parts of the device disposed mutually to coact in stifening the device as a whole whereby it will readily withstand the handling it receives in its application to its position in the container during a packing operation.

Again, it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind which will nest with others for convenience in shipment to the place of use.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as others,` together vwith the advantages thereof will more fully appear as the 'specification proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a can packing de-l vice embodying one form of the invention.

Fig, 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through a packed container and illustrates the use of a pair of the devices, one at the bottom and one at the top of the container, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the device as taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectional view through the device, on an enlarged scale, as taken on the li-ne 4 4 of Fig. 1.

In general, the improved device is in the form of a flat sheet-like body of an outline shape to fit snugly in the container in which it is to be used. Preferably, it is made from molded pulp material and has some cushioning or padding effect initself. The device is made to provide a plurality of flat portions or areas arranged in the body, preferably in two right angled rows and each to be engaged by or receive the end of the can. Between said can end receiving portions or areas, the sheet-like body is provided with parts that project above one face thereof arid these parts have a number of functions. They not only stifen the body yas a whole, but they guide the can ends into position on their seat portions and thereafter they prevent the ends of adjacent cans from shifting laterally into engagementV with one another. In the use of the devices in packing a container, one device is placed face up in the bottom of the container. After all of the cans have been placed in the container, another of the devices is placed face down on the top end of the cans, after which the cover or lid of the container is closed in a suitable manner.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing, I0 indicates the device as a whole which as shown in Fig. 1 is especially adapted for use in packing six cans in a container Il. The container is illustrated as a conventional rectangular one having a bottom wall |2,a top wall or cover or lid I3, end walls I4|4, and the usual side walls which do notappear in Fig. 2. The

device I appearing in Fig. 1 includes a flat rectangular sheet-like body IB of an area snugly to nt within the container and in this par-g' ticular instance said body is longer than it is wide.

Along each side of the body I5 is provided a row of longitudinally spaced areas I8 constituting two rows of can end engaging or receiving portions. The spacing between the can end receiving portions in each row is the same as the spacing between said two rows. In the 'present instance, there are two longitudinal rows of such can end receiving portions I 8 and three of such portions in each row so that, there are six of such portions on the body. With the spacing mentioned, these areas may also be considered as end and intermediate transverse rows, with two of such areas in each of said rows. It is apparent, however, that a greater or lesser number of portions may be provided in the body without departing from the invention so that the use of six of such portions should be considered only as illustrative.

As the areas I8 before mentioned are relatively large with respect to the body, each area is provided with relatively low, hollow ribs rising from the one face of the body and which face is the one with which can ends engage when the device is used for its intended purpose. In the present instance, as best appears in Fig. 1, the hollow ribs mentioned are shown as concentric inner and outer annular ribs I'I and I8 respectively. They have a height approximating but not exceeding the height of the end flange 20 of the can 2i to be engaged on the respective areas.

In that area of the device between each group of four adjacent can end receiving portions I6, I provide means which when engaged by a part of the bottom end edge of a can being placed in the container, will l,direct or guide the can into proper position upon the portion I8 selected from the group. In the present instance, said means comprises a relatively high projection with a top Wall 22 and with side walls 23 that slant or slope downwardly and outwardly from said top wall to terminate at the body. Each of said walls 23 is arcuate in plan and is concentric with-the annular ribs I1 and I8 on that can end receiving portion I6 with which it is associated. The bottom edge of each side wall 23 has a radius R which is substantially the same as the distance between the axis of the annular ribs I'I and I8 and the closest points R1 and l't2 on an adjacent outer edge of the body, as best appears in the Ibottom right hand corner of Fig. 1. Y

Each twoadjacent side walls 23 in each can end guiding means I6, at their ends coact to form a rib 24 positioned between each two adjacent can end receiving portion I6. These ribs each extend beyond a plane passing through the centers of each two adjacent portions I6, as is apparent from Fig. 1 and each rib gradually increases in height along its center line from its outer end and inwardly toward the wall 23 of the can end guiding means.

In the present instance where only two of such can guiding means are disposed on the body, one of the ribs 24 of one can end guiding means merges with a like rib 24 of the adjacent can guiding means, as.best appears at 25 in the central portion of Fig. 1.

As before mentioned, .the device is preferably made by molding it from pulp material. By reason of the ribs i1 and Il and the can end guiding means before mentioned, the device has such rigidity that it withstands requisite handling in the use' thereof. without breaking and bending.

'I'he other cans required to nll a container are placed in the container as above mentioned. When the container is thus nlled, the packer inverts another device and places it upon the top ends of the cans in the container. It is apparent that this obstructs the packer's vision of the top ends of the cans. However, by reason of the slanting or sloping walls 23, the can end guiding means at now the bottom of the body, guides said means into the spaces between/ the top ends of the cans so `that the device readily positions itself. .The cover or top wall I3 of the container is fastened down and this completes the packing of the container. f

It is apparent that in a packed container, the can end guiding means of the devices at the top and bottom ends of the cans, prevents either end ofl one can from shifting laterally to engage its neighbor so that. there can be no denting of a can or tearing of a label, due to the jarring action the filled container may receive in transport or other handling. f

When packing a container with filled cans and employing the improved vdevices therein, two

of the devices are preferably employed, one between the bottom wall of the container and the other end of the cans and one between the top wall or cover of the container and the top end of the cans. In the packingof a container one of the devices is placed in the container to engage upon the bottom wall I2 of the container, with the ribs I1 and I 8 of the can end guiding means facing upwardly.

The packer takes a can, closed at both ends, and enters it, end down into the container and approximately into the position it is to occupy upon a cans end receiving portion I8. In this operation of placing the can in the container, the upright walls of the container are of some assistance in locating the can with respect to its portion I6. However, should the bottom end of the can be slightly out of line with respect to its portion I6,so that a part of its bottom edge engages a wall 23, as appears in dotted lines in Fig. 4, said edge will be guided downwardly by reason of the slope or slant of said wall, into a centered position on its associated can end receiving portion I6. In this respect it is pointed out that when the bottom end of a can is engaged on its seat, the bottom edge of its end flange 2l engages ilatly upon the body of the device with the bottom of the can just clearing the ribs I1 and I8 as appears in the left hand bottom portion of Fig. 2. Therefore side ribs are not crushed or flattened in use.

It is also pointed out that in placing the can in the container, it is practically impossible to catch the end flange of said can against or upon the like flange of another and adjacent can already packed in the container.

The device has a further advantage in placing the last can of the group being packed in a container, because the packer. whose vision of the bottom at this time is reduced, needs only to drop the can into place, and when its bottom end edge engages its associated wall 23, it is immediately guided or directed into its place on its associated receiving portion.

The devices may be readily handled without breakage. nest together for shipment, materially assists the speed with which cans may be packed in a container and at the same time prevents denting of the can and mutilation of the label usually applied to the cans.

While in describing the invention, I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the parts involved, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device for use in packing a plurality of cans or the like in a container and embodying therein a sheet-like body having can end receiving portions on one face thereof and arranged in rows extending in two directions of the body, and means rising from said face of the body in planes between said rows of can end receiving portions and comprising relatively high parts, each disposed centrally between each four adjacent can end. receiving portions in any two rows and a plurality of rib-like parts each disposed between two adjacent can end `receiving portions and of such length as to extend from its associated high part to at least substantially up to a line passing through the centers of said two adjacent can end receiving portions.

2. A device for use in packing a plurality of cans or the like in a container and embodying therein a sheet-like body having can end receiving portions on one face th-ereof and arranged in rows extending in two directions of the body, and means rising from said face of the body in planes between said rows of canend receiving portions and comprising relatively high parts, each disposed centrally between each four adjacent can end receiving portions in any two rows and a plurality of rib-like parts each disposed between two adjacent can end receiving portions and of such length as to extend from its associated high part to at least substantially up to a line passing through the centers of said two adjacent can end receiving portions, said rib-like parts being lower in elevation than said high parts. A

3. A device for use in packing a plurality of cans or the like in a container and embodying therein a sheet-like body having can end receiving portions on one face thereof and arranged in rows extending in two directions of the body, and means rising from said face ofthe body in planes between said rows of can end receiving portions and comprising relatively high parts, each disposed centrally between each four adjacent can end receiving portions in any two rows and a plurality of rib-like parts each disposed between two adjacent can end receiving portions and of such length as to extend from its associated high part to a point beyond a line passing through the centers oi.' said two adjacent can end receiving portions.

4. A device for use in packing a plurality of cans or the like in a container and embodying therein a sheet-like body having can end receiving portions on one face thereof and arranged in rows exten-ding in two directions of the body, each can end receiving portions having reinforcing means rising from said face but of such height as to be cleared by the bottom of the can disposed thereon, and means rising from said face o f the body in planes between said rows of can end receiving portions and comprising parts each higher than said reinforcing means on can end receiving portions an-d disposed centrally between each four adjacent can end receiving portions in any two rows and a plurality of rib-like parts each disposed between two adjacent can end receiving portions and being of such length as to extend from its associated higher part to at least substantially up to a line passing through the centers of said two adjacent can end receiving portions.

5. A device for use in packing a plurality of cans or the like in a container and embodying therein a sheet-like body having can end receiving portions on one face thereof and arrangedv in rows extending in two directions of the body, each can end receiving portions having reinforcing means rising from said face but of su-ch height as to be cleared by the bottom of the can disposed thereon, and means rising from said face of the body in planes between said rows of can end receiving portions and comprising parts each higher than said reinforcing means on said can end receiving portions and disposed centrally between each four adjacent can end receiving portions in any two rows and a plurality of rib-like parts each disposed between two adjacent can end receiving portions and being of a height less than the associated high part and of a length to extend to a point beyond a line passing through the centers of said two adjacent can end receiving portions.

6. Ardevice for use in packing a plurality of cans or the like in a container and embodying therein a sheet-like body having can end receiving portions on one face thereof an-d arranged in rows extending in two directions of the body, and means rising from said face of the body in planes between said rows of can end receiving portions and comprising relatively high parts, each disposed centrally between each four adjacent can end receiving portions in any two rows and a plurality of rib-like parts each disposed between two adjacent can end receiving portions and of such length as to extend from its associated high part to at least up to a line passing through the centers of said two adjacent can end receiving portions, one of the rib-like parts associated with one of said high parts merging into a rib-like part associated with another high part.

WIIIIILILAMJ'.DEIREAMIER.l 

